Lipstick carrier



Sept. 29, 1964 D. A. SEAVER 3,150,770

LIPSTICK CARRIER Filed May 16, 1962 INVENTOR United States Patent Filed May 16, 1962, Ser. No. 195,148 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-56) This invention is an improved lipstick carrier for swiveltype lipstick containers.

Swivel-type lipstick containers in the past have been provided with a metal carrier .cup formed with an outwardly projecting operating lug. The advantages of plastic material rather than metal can be readily appreciated because the operation would be smoother and quieter, as well as being easier and cheaper to manufacture.

However, this has introduced another problem: the size of swivel-type lipstick containers including the inside shell and the size of the lipstick itself has for some time been standardized. To increase the thickness of the carrier sidewalls while maintaining the present outside diameter would mean a substantial reduction in the diameter of the standard cosmetic stick. To maintain the inside diameter of the carrier and increase the outside diameter would mean changing the entire lipstick container. Either of these steps would be costly as it would involve changing standards long established in the industry.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved plastic carrier that can be used in the present standard lipstick container and which will accommodate the standard cosmetic stick. This requirement necessitates the wall of the cup which surrounds the lipstick to be so thin (approximately .020") that it is quite flexible when molded from plastic material, such as polyethylene.

In order to strengthen and stabilize the carrier, it is preferably molded with a lower section to extend below the thin walled section that surrounds the lipstick. This lower section is of the same outside diameter as the upper section for a smooth sliding fit within the inner shell of the container but may be of substantially greater wall thickness. At the juncture of the thin upper section and thicker lower section, there is a transverse wall against which the lipstick material may seat.

According to my invention, a transverse partition extends across the bottom portion of the thin walled upper section. This partition serves a two-fold purpose in that it holds the pomade which is impaled on the partition; and being in line with the exterior operating lug, prevents any collapse of the thin Wall in the region of such lug. This is a distinct advantage because it insures that the lug will always remain in the spiral slot to propel the lipstick carrier.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a swivel lipstick container with the cover removed and the outer shell in section;

FIG. 2 shows the upper end of the lipstick container with the outer shell in section and my improved cup and the cosmetic stick in fully advanced position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the carrier cup, per se;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section of the carrier cup taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3; and,

FIG. 5 is a vertical section of the carrier cup taken along line 55 of FIG. 3.

The numeral designates generally a lipstick container having an inner shell 11 within which is slidably mounted a carrier 12 that has the operating lug 13 formed as an integral part thereof. The lower end of the shell is joined by means of a shoulder 14 to an en- 3,150,770 Patented Sept. 29, 1964 larged section 15 which in turn is joined by shoulder 16 to a still larger closed base end 17, The shell 11 is provided with a longitudinal slot 18 extending from the shoulder 14 to a narrow head 19 that surrounds the shell 11 adjacent its open upper end 20 where it narrows down as it passes through said bead 19 and then opens into a V-shape to the end of the shell 11. Rotatably surrounding the shell his a helical sleeve 21 which trictionally engages and carries with it an outside shell 22. The helical sleeve 21 is held against axial movement by the shoulder 14 and the head 19 of the shell 11. The lug 13 of the carrier 12 projects through the longitudinal slot 18 and into the helical slot 23 of the sleeve 21 so that relative rotation of the outside shell 22, with its helical sleeve 21, to the inner shell 11 will cause the carrier 12 to be retracted or advanced as the case may be, in the usual manner.

The carrier 12 consists of a cylindrical member that is open at both ends and has the operating lug 13 formed as an integral part thereof. The carrier 12 is molded as a single piece from a suitable plastic material such as polyethylene or polypropylene, which is very satisfactory from the standpoint of cost, ease of molding and providing a smooth outer surface.

A transverse dividing wall 25 with an opening 26 is located at a point intermediate the ends of the carrier 12 and divides said carrier into an upper section 27 and a lower section 28. The wall thickness of the upper section 27 of the carrier is comparable in thickness to the walls of a metal carrier member of conventional construction. This is to permit the cup to accommodate the standard size of stick material.

To add stiffness and rigidity to the carrier 12, the transverse dividing wall 25 and the lower extension 28 have a wall thickness somewhat greater than the wall thickness of the upper portion 27. The outer surface of the lower portion may be furnished with longitudinal ribs as indicated at 28a (for purpose of identification) to assist the production worker in making sure that the carrier is assembled correctly.

For the two-fold purpose above mentioned, a centrally located transverse partition 29 is formed integrally with the dividing wall 25 and upper section 27. The transverse partition extends upwardly from said wall 25 substantially one-half the length of said upper section 27 and is in direct alignment with the lug 13. The upper edge of partition 29 is beveled at 30 so as to cleave the lipstick material when being assembled and wedge it outwardly against the sidewalls of the carrier for better anchorage.

The inside edge of the upper section 27 is beveled at 31 not only to assist in guiding the cosmetic stick into the carrier 12, but also to form an almost invisible transition from cosmetic stick to carrier. Because of the transparent nature of the plastic material in a section as thin as the walls of the upper section 27 of my carrier 12, the color of the cosmetic stick will show through the carrier and conceal the same when the carrier is projected beyond the end of the lipstick case, thereby giving a more pleasing appearance than the old-style metal carrier.

To prevent mutilation of the operating lug 13 of the carrier 12, the helical slot 23 is formed at its opposite ends with short reversely curving portions 32 and 33. The ends of these portions are semi-circular in shape and are of the same radius as the operating lug 13. This construction provides a surface that will embrace the operating lug over substantially half its circumference, thus preventing any cutting or shearing and also prolonging the usable life of the carrier.

What I claim is:

1. For a swivel-type lipstick container, a one-piece lipstick carrier of molded plastic material having a substantially continuous cylindrical outer surface of such diameter as to provide for a smooth sliding fit within the inner shell of such a lipstick container, said carrierconsisting of two sections: an upper section and a lower section with a transverse dividing wall therebetween, said upper section being of relatively thin flexible material, an operating lug projecting from the outer surface of said upper section intermediate its length, and a partition wall extending transversely across said upper section in direct alignment with said operating lug.

2. A one-piece lipstick carrier as defined in, claim 1 wherein said partition wall is integrally joined to said transverse dividing wall.

3. A one-piece lipstick carrier as defined in claim 1 wherein the thickness of the wall of said lower section and of said transverse dividing wall is substantially greater than the wall thickness of said upper section, and wherein said partition wall is integrally joined to said transverse dividing wall to diametrically opposite portions of the thin wall of said upper section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,318,152 Gelardin May 4, 1943 2,345,315 Anderson Mar. 28, 1944 2,776,051 Warren Jan. 1, 1957 3,083,822 Clark Apr. 2, 1963 3,083,823 Metreaud Apr. 2, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 583,343 Great Britain Dec. 16, 1946 875,460 France June 22, 1942 1,124,179 France June 25, 1956 1,146,318 France May 20, 1957 

1. FOR A SWIVEL-TYPE LIPSTICK CONTAINER, A ONE-PIECE LIPSTICK CARRIER OF MOLDED PLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS CYLINDRICAL OUTER SURFACE OF SUCH DIAMETER AS TO PROVIDE FOR A SMOOTH SLIDING FIT WITHIN THE INNER SHELL OF SUCH A LIPSTICK CONTAINER, SAID CARRIER CONSISTING OF TWO SECTIONS: AN UPPER SECTION AND A LOWER SECTION WITH A TRANSVERSE DIVIDING WALL THEREBETWEEN, SAID 